1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to conveyor belts for transporting comestibles, products, and packages. More specifically, the invention pertains to a bar belt comprised of a plurality of rigid, elongated bars arranged in parallel relation and having their respective ends connected to lateral belts, each bar having elements extending from either side thereof, the elements being arranged in interdigitized relation with respect to adjacent elements from an adjacent bar.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conveyor belts for transporting food, articles of manufacture, and packages are well known in the prior art. Conveyor belts have been manufactured from a variety of materials, including rubber, metal, and plastic, sometimes including individual components assembled to form a belt of the desired width and length. In some applications, conveyor belts are perforated, to allow debris to fall therethrough, providing a cleaning or a size-sorting function. Perforations are also useful to allow upflowing air or downflowing water to pass through the perforations and remove debris and dirt from the product stream. Belts may be inclined in strategic locations simply to transport objects to a higher or a lower elevation. Also, inclined belts may be combined with active cleaning forces, such as the pneumatic or hydraulic elements mentioned above.
By way of a more specific example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,915,204, granted to Alimanestiano, a transfer device is disclosed. This device employs interdigitized fingers 23 and 23a, which are independently movable, both horizontally and vertically. These interdigitized fingers are used to transfer goods laterally, onto either of the load receiving zones 14.
Plastic modular conveyor belts and modules are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,544, issued to Bailey et al. Individual plastic modules have fingers which are interdigitized with those of an adjacent module. The fingers are also mechanically interconnected to fingers of an adjacent module by means of a pivot rod extending through an aperture in each of the fingers.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,819, issued to Horton et al., a conveyor apparatus and a method are taught. The conveyor is comprised of a plurality of high friction plastic modules 200 and a plurality of low friction plastic modules 300. The goods being transported rest on the modules 200, and the modules 300 slide over wear strips 600. The fingers extending from these modules have holes, through which pivoting rods 602 pass.
A conveyor pad construction is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 1,817,037, granted to Mattison. In this arrangement, a traveling bed is adapted to receive a plurality of individual pads which comprise the load bearing or contact surface of the conveyor. The traveling bed includes a pair of heavy endless chains having links 10 affixed to each cross bar 12 by means of bolts 11.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,310,646 was granted to Morgan, for an endless conveyor. This conveyor uses a pair of “endless cables 8”, providing drive and support for the belt 1. A plurality of brackets 3 is used to interconnect the belt 1 with the cables 8.